The present invention concerns a tool for use in aircraft construction. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a tool and method for installation of a pipe end within a socket, wherein the pipe end and the socket are part of an aircraft fuel system.
In a typical aircraft fuel pipe system installation process, the fuel pipe connectors comprising pipe-end receiving socket arrangements are installed in the aircraft structure prior to the fuel pipes being installed. An aircraft engineer may then manually install the fuel pipes by pushing the fuel pipe ends into the fuel pipe connectors. During this push-fit installation, it is important that the angular misalignment between the axial centrelines of the pipe end and the socket is minimised in order to avoid damage to the pipe end or the socket arrangement. Damage to the pipe end or the socket arrangement may include damage to a seal between the pipe end and the socket arrangement. Damage to the pipe end or the socket arrangement during the installation process may lead to potentially costly and hazardous fuel leakages during use of the aircraft.
Typically, the tolerance level required is no more than ±2 degrees angular misalignment between the axial centrelines of the pipe end and the socket arrangement. However, it may be difficult to measure and/or monitor the accuracy achieved during the push fit process. Additionally, it is desirable to maintain a gap between the end of the pipe end and the socket arrangement, that allows the pipe end to float in a longitudinal direction when installed in the socket arrangement. In the aircraft industry this is typically known as the coupling gap.
The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems.